The Arizona Supreme Court Just Fucked Over Thousands of DACA Students 

Recipients of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program are no longer eligible for in-state tuition in Arizona, per a new ruling by the Arizona Supreme Court. Currently, more than 2,000 DACA students attend Arizona state and community colleges and pay in-state tuition; the new court ruling holds that these undocumented students must be treated as though they were out-of-state residents, forcing them to pay much more for their education.

From AZ Central:

In-state students at Arizona State University pay $10,640 this year, while non-resident students pay $26,470. Residents pay $86 per credit hour at the Maricopa Community Colleges, compared with $241 for non-residents.

Korina Iribe, a DACA recipient and the director of advocacy at Undocumented Students for Education Equity, said the ruling will mean fewer students at Arizona’s universities and community colleges.

Iribe said she finished her undergraduate degree in August, but was hoping to get a master’s degree. The ruling could mean she’s priced out of that option, she said.

Particularly in the current climate, forcing undocumented Arizona residents to pay three times more for tuition comes across as a warning: DACA recipients might still be temporarily shielded from deportation, but its protections and promises are being chipped away, bit by bit.

The Arizona Supreme Court’s decision follows an Arizona Court of Appeals ruling, which determined that Maricopa Community Colleges are not allowed to offer DACA recipients in-state tuition under state and federal law.

Last year, President Trump announced that he would phase out DACA for no reason whatsoever, giving Congress six months to pass legislation to save the protective act. Congress, naturally, hasn’t passed shit.